The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-19

1t is phenom enon which has not
been sufficiently attended TO, that people
may and do go to church to be supplied
with reasons for their irreligion and con-
firmations of their worldliness. IL the
pulpit sneers at piety and travesties the.
ology, while it reserves it's admiration
and eloquence for men of the world, and
the ways OF the world, and the critics Of
the church and clergy, it will gain Ger.
tain following from those who incline to
the same view, and who would rather
quote minister than Ingersoll as their
oracle. Time, that tests all things, will
show how much pure and undefled re-
lgion results from diet OF serpents and
stones.
1t is something more than reflection
for Mr.. Matthew Arnold to specify as
particular sources of "the deleterious and
detestable influences" he finds in modern
life, influences of journalism in one
place and Of politicians in the other"
His reference to the Duke of Richmond
was in the same acute strain. The Duke
had proclaimed himself minister of edu-
cation in his character as Lord President.
Says Mr.. Arnold: ga man is not Minister
of Education by taking the name, but by
doing the functions. To do the functions,
he must put his mind to the subject of
education; and so long as Lord Presi-
dents are what they are, and education is
what it is, Lord President will not be a
man who puts his mind on the subject of
education" That shot brought down
whole row of Lord Presidents.
= We do not know that we should
think more of MILFORD Halls Scientific
Arena if he did not attract subscribers
by offering Universalism against ITSELF
as premium; but we should think bet
ter of his logic and his religion, certainly.
We suggest to Wilford that he should
not be too ambitious. He is engaged in
the great moral reform of overthrowing
the pet theories of science and obscuring
the brightness of it's chief luminaries.
Here is glory enough for one warrior.
He should let the sword with which he
slaughters Universalism gather rust.
If the effect of the Andover contro.
versy shall be to make those who are
nominally committed to "no probation
after death" reaffirm that position and
take it squarely, we, at least, shall not be
sorry. Very little is said, out loud, in
these days, on that once crucial point.
1t is systematically slurred. We notice
that since the Andover heresy has been
under discussion there has been marked
change-we had almost said improve
ment-in many quarters. A large num-
Der of our contemporaries whose ortho-
doxy for some time past has consisted in
avowing the name, and renouncing the
thing, have toned up in marked manner
and put themselves on record, much as
Topsy did. In the meantime the leaven
is in the lump and must work.
1T is fact of deep significance, as
we view it, that Jesus rested SO much of
the authority Of his teaching on himself.
His "truly, truly, do say unto you," is
an emphatic, almost an offensive way of
making himself the ground of the truth of
what he asserted. Even stronger was the
form OF the famous statement. 81 am the
way, the truth and the life" He did not
declare or expound the way: he was the
way. 1t is not rhetoric, therefore, to say,
Christ is Christianity. Apart from him,
outside of him, there is no Christianity.
There may be truth, wisdom, goodness;
but not Christianity. That is inseparable
from the person and power Of Jesus, the
Christ.